Packaging device



T. A, BURNS PACKAGING DEVICE Nov. 3 4

5 Sheet t 1 Filed Ma 17 1961 BY THAGRUS A BURNS Nov. 3, 1964 T. A. BURNS PACKAGINGDEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May l'F. 1961 IN V EN TOR.

BY THAGRUS A. BURNS waif Avrokwsr Nov. 3, 1964 T. A. BURNS PACKAGING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 17. 1961 IN VEN TOR.

BY THAGRUS A. BURNS United States Patent 3,154,899 PACKAGING DEVKIE Thagrus A. Burns, 2216 Eutler Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. Filed May 17, 1961, Ser. No. 1149,7194 @lfis. (Cl. 53-190) This invention relates to a packaging device and more particularly a packaging device which is usable for inserting articles, such as pieces of mail, within envelopes and the like, but in no sense is limited to such application. The invention is usable for packaging other items, such as piston rings, machine parts, etc., into receptacles such as envelopes, packets or the like and thereafter sealed to form a part of repair kits and the like.

There are numerous devices which have been proposed for stufiing mail, but these machines generally share the defect of being either too expensive to produce, too complicated to operate or change, or are too slow in operation or tend to damage the paper materials being packaged.

It is an object of the present invention to produce a mail stuffing machine and process for stuffing mail in which the mail material is undamaged because it is handled firmly but delicately so as not to damage the mail, and the apparatus and process proceed at a considerable rate so that the operation is economical and efiicient.

Another object of the invention is to produce a packaging apparatus which is versatile both in the shape and size of the material being packaged and the shape and size of the envelope or packet which receives the material to be packaged.

Another object of the invention is to produce a packaging apparatus which can be made power operated or manually operated and which is adapted for either continuous or intermittent type operation to produce packaging for mass mailing operations.

Other objects and features of the invention include:

(a) Usage of novel envelope spreading means which are inserted at the open end of the envelope to spread the open end and at the same time form a gripping connection which removes the envelope after it is stuffed and deposits said envelope in a separate pile for subsequent sealing.

(b) A novel stuffing means which operates in conjunction with said envelope gripping means to insert material within the spread open end of said envelope and in a predetermined amount for each envelope, said stuffing means serving to control the extraction of a stuffed envelope so that each envelope is stuffed before it is deposited at a storage point for sealing.

Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus which is used for practicing my invention, a portion of the apparatus being broken away to illustrate a spring which urges the apparatus to the position shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating the upper structural members of the apparatus in phantom view to illustrate better the envelope spreading means and operating structure therefor; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken through the length of the apparatus in which the apparatus is just completing an envelope stumng operation and in winch the stufied envelope is about to be discharged into a storage tray.

The apparatus designated generally by reference numeral 11) includes a platform 12 which is mounted for angular movement on a cross pin 14 on which the tray can tip from a horizontal position (FIGURES l and 2) to an inclined position (FIGURE 3). The platform 12 is loaded by a spring 16 which is stretched by movement of the platform to its inclined position and urges the platform to its horizontal position, the spring 16 being hooked at one end 18 to the platform and at the other end 20 to the base 22 of the apparatus. The apparatus 10 includes two side rails 24 and 26 which are channels or the like, each having notches 28 which permit the platform 12 to pivot angularly, and the support means 30 is fastened through a wing nut 31 to each side rail 24, 26 to permit the rails to be brought closer together or farther apart to adjust for diiferent size envelopes.

The platform includes along two of its edges a separating means in the form of lugs 32. The lugs have a corner piece provided by the flange 34 and form a loose pocket to receive the material eventually to be inserted. The corner piece is located above the platform 12 to form a gap or space having a thickness which determines the quantity on a particular cycle of certain material to be stufied within an awaiting lowermost envelope in the stack 36. The lugs 32 can be made adjustable to vary the gap of corner piece flange 34 and thereby adjust the amount of material to be dispensed within each envelope by a pushing element 38 having a hinge connection 40 with a pusher arm 42 pivotally mounted on cross pin 44 supported at its opposite ends on rocker arms 46. The rocker arms are carried on a pivot pin 48 which passes through rails 24, 26 at opposite ends, and each rocker arm 46 below the pivot pin 48 has pivot-and-slot connection 59 with a rod 52 which moves back and forth by the angular movement of rocker arms 46.

Each rod 52 has at its end 54 an adjustable nut and thread connection with a bracket 56 having articulated connection 58 with a strut 60 having articulated connection 62 with a dog as which serves as a bell crank mounted for pivotal movement of pin 66. The strut as, having articulated connections at its opposite ends with the dog 64 and bracket 56, is so arranged that longitudinal movement of rod 52 in the direction of the arrows, FIGURE 2, effects angular movement of the dog 64- as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 2, and the platform 12 including the dog 64 can tilt angularly as shown in FIGURE 3, so that the connecting strut 60 will move angularly at its articulated connection 58 with the bracket 56. Thus, a compound movement is permitted of the linkage 52-56- 60-64 in which the rod 52 can reciprocate to move the dogs 64 angularly. and the platform 12 can tilt to permit relative movement between dog 64 and its operating rod 52. The rod 52 is guided for its reciprocable movement by passing through openings 68 of angle 70 secured by rivets or the like '72 to flange '74 of rails 24, 26 respectively.

The stack of envelopes is received within a storage tray 76 which is made up of two transversely disposed plates 81 and 82 respectively which provide spaced corners wherein there is fitted two of the closed end corners of the envelopes which are awaiting stufiing. The stack of envelopes is supported by the lowermost envelope which has an edge contact with edges 34 and 86 of a protruding supporting member; two fingers 88 and $13 and the fiaps of the envelopes are held upwardly by a finger 92 which projects across the platform 12 and vertically thereabove as indicated in FIGURES l and 3. Each envelope flap is thus folded back from its sealed position so that the gummed edge of the flap must be swung downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to cross over the open end of the next envelope. The support which is provided by surfaces 84, 86 and fingers 83, 919 is suflicient to sustain the weight of the stack of envelopes through the lowermost envelope but does not provide so great resistance to pulling of the envelope downwardly that the envelope cannot easily disengage itself from these surfaces without producing tearing or damaging to the envelope. It should be noted in FIGURES 13 that the plates include depending extensions $5 which guide the downward movement of the envelope when it is extracted from the stack of envelopes and direct its downward movement into a storage tray 96 which receives the stuffed envelopes and stores them in a sufiicient quantity so that operation can continue for a considerable time before requiring emptying.

In operation, the material to be stuffed within the envelope is mounted on the platform 12 between lugs 32 and storage 76 filled with an adequate number of envelopes, each having their flaps facing in the same direction so that they are all bent backwardly from their respective open ends as shown in FIGURE 3. The envelopes to be stuffed therein can be stored in sufficient number so that the operation can continue for a set time. It is further contemplated that envelopes can be fed continuously to the apparatus lit and material to be stuffed in said envelopes likewise fed continuously by the lugs 32 so that the operation can run indefinitely if desired. What is emphasized is the versatility of the apparatus which can operate or be made to operate either by power means or manually to accommodate for large scale stufiing operations or intermittent smaller run stufling operations.

Once the apparatus is adjusted for the desired envelope size, the rocker arms 4-6 are moved angularly back and forth from their respective positions shown in FIGURES 1-3. Each cycle of forward and return movement of the machine effects a stufiing operation and return for a second operation. As the rocker arms 46 move in the direction of the solid line arrows (FIGURES 1 and 2), the pusher arm 52 acting through a pushing element 38 displaces the material to be stuffed from between lugs 32 and into the open end of the lowermost envelope of the stack of envelopes. The rocker arms 46 during this phase of operation pull the rods 52 in the direction of the dashed line arrows (FIGURE 2) which, acting through connecting rod of rotate the dogs $4 in the direction of the dashed line arrows. The extensions 94 of the respective dogs enter the opposite edges of the open end of the lowermost envelope and effect both a spreading of said open end and form a gripping connection with said envelope to cause engagement of the extensions 94 with the interior opposite edges of said envelope adjacent said open end. The extensions 9d are tapered with the narrowest portion first entering the envelope so that they gradually spread the envelope as they move into gripping connection with the envelope at its interior edges. The rods 52 cause the dogs 64 to perform the envelope spreading function before the pusher arm 42 has effected displacement of the material to be stuffed within the envelope. The pushing element 33 as it moves past the cross pin 14 effects a downward component of force on the platform 12 and causes the platform to tilt forwardly as shown in FIGURE 3, and in so doing the dogs 64 move with the platform and act through their extensions 94 and extract the stuffed envelope from its support surfaces 84, $6, 83, 9t) and suspends the stuifed envelope momentarily through the extensions 95 of the storage tray 96. The rocker arms 4-6 at this stage of operation are in their extreme forward position (FIGURE 3) and the pushing element 38 pushes the filled envelope off the extensions 94, thus permitting the stufied envelope to drop to the stack below, and then are caused to reverse the angular movement wherein the dogs 64 are pivoted oppositely to the dashed line directions (FIGURE 2) thereby retracting extensions 94, and concurrently the pushing element 38 is retracted so that once it crosses the cross pin 14 in the retracting direction, the spring 16 can return the platform 12 to its horizontal position and in readiness for a subsequent repeating stuffing operation. It should be noted that the platform when it tips forwardly on cross pin 14 does so by virtue of the compound linkage between bracket 56 of rod 52 and dog 64, this being effected by connecting rod till having articulated connections 53 and 62. Thus, the dogs 64 can pivot with the platform 12 and in a plane transversely of the connecting rod 52 by virtue of the articulated connection 58, and the connecting rod 6% can effect angular movement of the dog 64 by reciprocable movement of rod 52 acting through connecting rod 6t; and its articulated connection 2.

The invention is useful not only for stufiing mail but also for packaging numerous objects, singly or in predetermined quantity within suitable receptacles. For examples of additional applications of my invention, I have packaged piston rings within packages for use either in original equipment delivery or for service usage. This will illustrate that the invention is not limited by either the material being packaged or the form, design, shape, etc., of a container for said materials being packaged.

Those skilled in the art can be reasonably expected to make numerous other, additional changes and applications of the invention as suit individual design requirements and packaging applications. It is intended that such revisions and variations of the invention as suit individual design requirements and which incorporate the herein disclosed principles will be included Within the scope of the following claims as equivalents of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A packaging device for placing an item in a container comprising, in combination, a platform having an axis support providing forward tipping movement of said platform, a pusher member movable slidably across the surface of said platform to dispense in regulated amount the items to be packaged in the container, an operating arm operatively secured to said pusher member to effect its traversing movement across the surface of said platform, a rocker member operatively secured to said arm to produce actuation thereof, two spreading means disposed one at each side of said platform, each having a pivot mounting on which said spreading means move angularly in the plane of said platform to enter the open end of the container located at said platform end to effect spreading of said open end and form a drivable connection therewith, storage means for receiving a vertical stack of said containers and locating the lowermost one thereof in position to receive said spreading means, force transmitting means connecting said rocker and spreading means to effect their operation in concert with said pusher member, whereby said container is opened in advance to permit transfer of said item to the container by said pusher member which thereafter moves transversely of the support axis of said platform, and articulated means forming a part of the drive connection means between said rocker and spreading means to provide relative tilting movement between said spreading means which moves with said platform.

2. An envelope stufiing apparatus comprising means for supporting a stack of envelopes adapted to be individually stuffed, means for supporting material to be stuffed accord ng to package requirements into said individual envelopes, means for transferring said material to within a respective one of said envelopes, spreading means having pivot mountings which provide for angular movement of a portion thereof within the open end of said envelope to enlarge the opening and form a gripping connection with said envelope along two of its opposite interior edges, rocker means having operative connections with said dispensing means and spreading means to effect their coordinated actuation wherein said envelope is spread before the material to be stuffed is inserted in said envelope, means including the rocker means for producing tilting actuation of said spreading means downwardly from the stack of unstufied envelopes to extract the stufied envelope from said stack of envelopes through its gripped con nection by said spreading means, and means for receiving said extracted envelope.

3. A packaging device comprising a support member having two spreading means located one on each side of said support member for pivotal movement thereon, packaging means including container support means and a pushing means having engagement with material to be packaged and efi ecting translation thereof relatively to said support member, operating means for reciprocating said pustung means and also for simultaneously pivoting said two spreading means, a pivotal mounting for said support member about which the support member is tipped in one direction together with said spreading means to displace a package therewith, and means providing compound movement of said operating means associated with said spreading means to provide pivotal movement of said spreading means to provide pivotal movement of said spreading means within two transverse planes one of which includes the plane of said support member.

4. A packaging device comprising a support member having spreading means located at one end of said support member and mounted for pivotal movement thereon, packaging means including a container support means and reciprocable pushing means having engagement with material to be packaged and effecting translation thereof relatively to said support member, operating means for reciprocating said pushing means and also for simultaneously pivoting said spreading means and a pivotal mounting for said support member about which said support member is tipped in one direction together with said spreading means to displace a package therewith.

5. A packaging device comprising a support member having two spreading means located one on each side of said support member for pivotal movement thereon, packaging means including a container support means and pushing means having engagement with material to be packaged and efiecting translation thereof relatively to said support member, operating means for reciprocating said pushing means and also for simultaneously pivoting References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,145 Lines July 4, 1911 1,050,476 Liljeros Jan. 14, 1913 1,754,831 Marsh Apr. 15, 1930 1,939,120 Hoover Dec. 12, 1933 2,004,048 Guedry June 4, 1935 2,751,134 Walldow June 19, 1956 2,835,090 De Maine May 20, 1958 

3. A PACKAGING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING TWO SPREADING MEANS LOCATED ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREON, PACKAGING MEANS INCLUDING CONTAINER SUPPORT MEANS AND A PUSHING MEANS HAVING ENGAGEMENT WITH MATERIAL TO BE PACKAGED AND EFFECTING TRANSLATION THEREOF RELATIVELY TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, OPERATING MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PUSHING MEANS AND ALSO FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY PIVOTING SAID TWO SPREADING MEANS, A PIVOTAL MOUNTING FOR SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ABOUT WHICH THE SUPPORT MEMBER IS 